Pigskin Danger Field

Another week. Another playoff game where the Patriots are barely favorites at home in a game where the consensus of the gridiron cognoscenti is that this is where the New England Pretenders are unmasked.

No respect, I tell you. No respect.

Full Disclosure: All teams play the No Respect Card. It's right up there with "Did you hear what he said about your sister?" in terms of atavistic motivation. Given that, not much of a surprise that Chief Foxborough Press Secretary Stefon Diggs was ringing that bell before the game with the Chargers.

In the Patriots case, however, it would seem there's something to it.

Don't get me wrong. The Texans defense is legit scary. This game could go either way and nobody would be surprised. 

It isn't that pigskin pundits and bobbleheads are picking Houston to move on to the AFC Championship, it's the dismissive subtext. 

You all just saw what the Patriots defense did to the Chargers and Justin Herbert, didn't you? And let me ask you this: How many quarterbacks who generated over 300 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown in winning his first playoff game would've been described as having a bad game? I know Drake Maye has set the bar historically high for himself, but come on; you all saw that sublime TD pass to Hunter Henry. You saw Milton Williams throw two large men aside like they were shirts on a clothes rack he didn't find to be fashionable on his way to the game-sealing sack.

Didn't you?

After Pete Schrager's boneheaded comment regarding Zak Kuhr, New England's defensive playcaller, I have to wonder if any of the pigskin pundits and bobbleheads west of the Connecticut River have been paying any attention at all to the Patriots. New England went 14-3-0 in the regular season. Huh? Drake Maye is an MVP candidate. What? Apparently, the only thing the gridiron cognoscenti know about Patriots is that they played an historically weak schedule. 

Okay. I couldn't help myself. I had to check the strength of schedule for the perfect (17-0-0) 1972 Miami Dolphins.

Strength of schedule for the 2025 New England Patriots was .429.

Is it just me, or did the Patriots just prove their mettle in the playoffs against the Chargers? Just me? Yeah? Okay.

Maybe I'm just getting to really think this New England Patriots team could actually do it.

And yeah, maybe I'm setting myself up for a pigskin heartbreak. 

Sometimes, it's worth the risk.

This feels like one of those times.

Go Pats!